DigitalBridge と ジャパン・エクステンシブ・インフラストラクチャー株式会社、日本電気株式会社のデータセンター資産を基盤に Nippon Gateway Infrastructure を設立

DigitalBridge Group, Inc. (NYSE: DBRG) and ジャパン・エクステンシブ・インフラストラクチャー株式会社 (JEXI) announced on July 1, 2026, the formation of Nippon Gateway Infrastructure (日本ゲートウェイ・インフラストラクチャー, NGI), a new data center platform designed to serve the digital infrastructure needs of enterprises operating in Japan. The platform was established through their respective affiliated entities and is seeded by data center assets acquired from 日本電気株式会社 (NEC), with NEC expected to remain a primary anchor customer.

Platform Foundation: NEC Assets in Kanto and Kansai

NGI begins operations with a portfolio of data center assets located in the Greater Tokyo (Kanto) and Kansai regions. Asset-level details including specific addresses, total square footage, power capacity, and transaction pricing were not disclosed in the announcement.

日本電気株式会社 is expected to continue as a major customer of the newly formed platform following the asset transfer, providing NGI with a stable demand base from which to pursue broader growth. The platform intends to expand through a combination of M&A-driven acquisitions, capacity enhancements at existing facilities, and selective greenfield development.

Leadership and Governance

NGI has assembled an executive team with backgrounds in Japan's telecommunications and digital infrastructure sectors. 小笠原宧 (Hiroshi Ogasawara) has been appointed President and CEO. Ogasawara previously served as an executive officer at SCSK Corporation, as President and Representative Director of SCSK NEC Data Center Management, and as an executive officer at AT TOKYO, accumulating experience across technology services and digital infrastructure operations.

星野真人 (Masato Hoshino) has been named Vice President and COO. Hoshino brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in telecommunications and digital infrastructure, including a role as Asia regional head at Colt Technology Services.

藤森義明 (Yoshikazu Fujimori) has been appointed Chairman of NGI. Fujimori currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Oracle Japan and brings more than 40 years of experience in Japanese industry.

Strategic Rationale

The formation of NGI reflects a broader effort by DigitalBridge to build and scale digital infrastructure platforms in partnership with experienced operators and strategic local partners. Justin Chang, Senior Managing Director and Head of Asia at DigitalBridge, said in the announcement: "The formation of NGI exemplifies DigitalBridge's strategy of building and growing digital infrastructure platforms alongside exceptional management teams and strategic partners. With a foundational portfolio of high-quality data center assets, an experienced management team led by Ogasawara and Hoshino, and an attractive pipeline of growth opportunities, NGI is well-positioned to grow into a leading data center platform in Japan."

JEXI is an infrastructure investment advisory firm within the Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group. 岡村研二朗 (Kenji Okamura), Representative Director and CIO of JEXI, stated: "We are very pleased to be able to advance efforts to address the increasing sophistication of digital infrastructure demand in Japan through the formation of NGI and our partnership with its outstanding management team. As a member of the Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group, JEXI supports the creation of sustainable value in the digital infrastructure sector from the perspective of 'industrial finance,' which encompasses not only capital supply but also business creation and growth support. We will continue to contribute to the enhancement of capital circulation and the strengthening of industrial foundations by connecting domestic and international investor capital with Japan's infrastructure businesses."

小笠原宧, President and CEO of NGI, said: "NGI aims to become Japan's leading data center platform. We will provide digital infrastructure with superior security, reliability, and scalability to meet the growing needs of our customers. Going forward, we will pursue growth through strategic M&A, expansion of existing facilities, and selective greenfield development, while building long-term partnerships with customers and achieving the highest level of operational quality."

Growth Strategy

NGI's stated growth strategy encompasses three primary avenues: acquisitions of additional data center assets and portfolios, capacity enhancements at existing Kanto and Kansai facilities, and greenfield development. The announcement states the platform will target both major metropolitan markets and regional cities across Japan.

DigitalBridge, headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, describes itself as an alternative asset manager focused on digital infrastructure investment, with more than 30 years of investment and operational history across towers, data centers, fiber, small cells, and edge infrastructure. The firm manages infrastructure assets on behalf of limited partners and shareholders, with offices across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

JEXI is an investment advisory firm within the Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group specializing in domestic infrastructure in Japan. The firm invests across digital, decarbonization, and social infrastructure sectors under an "ALL JAPAN" philosophy aimed at connecting investor capital with infrastructure operators and businesses.

Sources

Nippon Gateway Infrastructure press release, July 1, 2026: https://nippongatewayinfra.jp/press/2026-07-01-ngi-formation.html